Help! Thumb not green

[jeffrey lohn]

Help! for 2 summers in a row we have tried to plant grass in a part of our tiny tiny urban backyard(Manhattan, NYC)... we're talking about a "lawn" of apprx 120 sq. feet. The first time we tried seeds.. that didnt work... squirrels seemed to dig up much of what we planted. so last year we tried sod.. but that didn't work either... it slowly kind of disappeared.. and/or browned out... and squirrels also dug in the sod. Any suggestions for our 3rd try will be greatly appreciated (the area gets roughly half day of direct sun and half day of moderate shade)

[Dwayne]

Rake the ground when damp. Sprinkle the grass seed in it after it dries, then turn the rake with the times pointed up and go over the ground again. This barely covers the seeds, as it is supposed to be, and the birds/squirrels cant find them (we hope). Then turn on the sprinkler for a few minutes, long enough to get the ground wet, but not enough to uncover the seed..

The secret is to not let the ground dry out too much. You have to faithfully sprinkle it every day, sometimes twice a day during the summer, until the grass has sprouted and is coming up on its own.

Dwayne

[cardarch]

[jtill]

Dwayne gave good advice. You may also inquire what your neighbors are growing. Maybe you had the wrong seed. Sodding is a quick method but again, it will take constant attention to keep it damp during dry hot days. The most important is to have the right seed or sod. Stores here, Houston TX., sell tons of seed not suitable for this clime! Joe T Houston Note, Water in the morning, grass doesn't grow after dark.